The Hunterian is Scotland's oldest public museum and its foundation dates back to 1807.

Today it houses one of the largest collections outside the national museums. In addition, the Hunterian is one of the largest and most important university museums in the world and the value of its collections has been recognized as being of national importance.

The collection is a legacy of the founder, Dr. William Hunter.

During his lifetime he collected scientific instruments used by James Watt, Joseph Lister and Lord Kelvin; Roman artifacts from the Antonine Valley.

Here is also preserved one of the largest and most complete numismatic collections in the world and objects belonging to various scientific fields, such as ethnography and natural science.

The Hunterian is also home to one of the world's most important collections of James McNeill Whistler's works.